SpacecraftSimulator

Spacecraft Dynamics And Missions Simulator

Table Of Contents

1. Introduction
   • Languages & Libraries
   • Project's Structure
   • References
     • Books
     • GitHub Repositories
2. Departure & Arrival Orbits
3. Spacecraft Properties
4. Missions
   • Orbit Transfer
   • Interplanetary
     • Pork Chop Plot
     • Interplanetary Transfer

1. Introduction

The Spacecraft Simulator application has the objective to implement all the algorithms used in Orbital Mechanics and integrating them inside a GUI application to simplify the ananlysis.

1.1 Languages & Libraries

The application is developed in Python 3.11.2 and uses the following libraries:

• numpy 1.24.2 for linear algebra and matrix manipulation
• matplotlib 3.7.1 for data visualization
• scipy 1.10.1 for numerical intergration
• PySide6 6.7.0 for the Grafical User Interface

The front-end is developed in Qt 6.7.0 using the QML language.

1.2 Project's Structure

The project is structured in the following folders.

• images: README images
• img: icons and images used in the GUI
• lib: list of external libraries
  • lib\matplotlib_backend_qtquick: library for integrating matplotlib in QML
• src: back-end of the application
• tools: algorithms
  • tools\texture: list of images for different astronomical objects
• ui: front-end of the application
  • ui\components: list of components used in the GUI
  • ui\dialogs: list of dialogs
  • ui\pages: list of pages
• generate.bat: batch file used to compile the file qml.qrc in Python
• main.py: root file of the project

1.3 References

Books

Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students

• Authors     Howard D. Curtis
• ISBN           9780080977485
• Series       Aerospace Engineering
• Year           2013
• Publisher Elsevier Science
• URL             https://books.google.it/books?id=2U9Z8k0TlTYC

GitHub Repositories

matplotlib_backend_qtquick

• URL https://github.com/jmitrevs/matplotlib_backend_qtquick

2. Departure & Arrival Orbits

Under the menu item Missions \ Departure it is possible to configure the Departure Orbit. The same discussion is valid for the Arrival Orbit. The orbit can be configured using one of the following representations:

• Cartesian based on the position vector and the velocity vector
• Keplerian based on the orbital elements
  • Semi-major axis
  • Eccentricity
  • Inclination
  • Right Ascension of the Ascending Node
  • Anomaly of the Perigee
  • True Anomaly
• Modified Keplerian based on the following elements
  • Periapsis Radius
  • Apoapsis Radius
  • Inclination
  • Right Ascension of the Ascending Node
  • Anomaly of the Perigee
  • True Anomaly

The user can select the planet as central body. In addition, a preview of the Orbit and the Ground Track can be visioned by the available buttons.

3. Spacecraft Properties

Under the menu item Missions \ Spacecraft Properties it is possible to configure the Spacecraft Properties in terms of

• Initial Mass
• Specific Impulse of the propulsive system
• Thrust of the propulsive system

4. Missions

Under the menu item Missions \ Current Mission it is possible to select the mission to analyze:

• Orbit Transfer to simulate the cost in terms of $\Delta v$, $\Delta t$, and $\Delta m$ of the transfer between the departure and the arrival orbit.
• Interplanetary Transfer to simulate the transfer between to planets of the Solar System.

4.1 Orbit Transfer

Under the menu item Missions \ Orbit Transfer it is possible to configure the maneuvers for the transfer between the departure and the arrival orbits, among the following ones:

• Hohmann Transfer
• Bi-Elliptic Hohmann Transfer
• Plane Change Maneuver
• Apse Line Rotation From Eta

After the transfer has been evaluated, the values of $\Delta v$, $\Delta t$, and $\Delta m$ for each transfer are calculated for a detailed analysis of the cost of the transfer.

By clicking on the Save button, the transfer becomes visible in the main window.

4.2 Interplanetary

Pork Chop Plot

Under the menu item Missions \ Interplanetary \ Pork Chop Plot it is possible to analyze the cost of the interplanetary transfer bewteen two planets of the Solar System, given a Launch Window and an Arrival Window. Once selected the parameters, by clicking on the Generate button the Pork Chop Plot is generated, and can be seen by clicking on the Show button.

Interplanetary Transfer

After the analysis of the Pork Chop Plot, under the menu item Missions \ Interplanetary \ Interplanetary Transfer the actual transfer can be simulated, by choosing the effective departure and arrival dates, and the departure and arrival orbits around the planets.